Three Principles of Body Neutrality for Eating Disorder Recovery

Body positivity inspires many, yet it’s not for everyone. This may seem like a controversial statement, but the focus on constant self-love, positive affirmations, mantras, singing, and dancing etc. can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re struggling with body image issues or an eating disorder. These portrayals also fall short of meeting the needs of many men and women whose temperaments just aren’t compatible with body positivity.

That’s where body neutrality comes in, providing a practical approach to improving body image without the unrealistic pressure to love how you look or engage in practices which don’t fit your personality. Research even suggests that body neutrality can reduce body image dissatisfaction in eating disorder recovery. Unlike body positivity, which began with fat acceptance activism of the 1960’s, body neutrality takes a different emphasis reflecting the modern need for an alternative approach.

As a therapist specialising in eating disorders and body image, I’ve identified three key principles of body neutrality which can support you in your recovery: function, acceptance, and self-transcendence. Let’s explore each one and how you can put them in practice.

1. FUNCTION

Appreciate your body for what it can do regardless of how it looks. 

A body-neutral approach moves away from your physical appearance and instead cultivates an awareness of what your body can do. Notice the intentional use of the word ‘awareness’ here, rather than appreciation. Forcing appreciation on your body may feel too much for some, including those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, daily pain or other physical challenges. Even without disability or  illness, if you have negative body image then you need an easier place to start.

Where do you start?

Begin by noticing your breath. Breathing is what your body does at its most basic level. It’s something simple, constant, and stable that keeps your body going no matter what else is happening. Every single inhale and exhale is proof that your body is doing its job of keeping you alive. If you’re alive, you have a chance to experience moments of joy, however small, and you have the ability to find a sense of meaning and purpose.

This isn’t about forcing gratitude, ignoring pain, or pretending you appreciate your body.  It’s about acknowledging that if you’re breathing, you’re alive, and if you’re alive then you have the starting point for living a fulfilling life that matters to you, regardless of your body shape, health, or circumstances.

This isn’t a quick fix, but practicing this awareness daily, over time, will lead to higher levels of appreciation (it takes repetition and lots of it!).

Next steps

As for other functions to focus your awareness on, the list can be as long as your own unique circumstances allow.  They typically fit into one of three categories: movement, sensory perception, and engagement.

• Movement can include walking, sports, hobbies, meditation, and sex. Even at its simplest, but no less powerful, it could be the ability to smile at a loved one and acknowledge the small moment of pleasure that can bring to them.

• Sensory perception is your ability to be aware of any of your five senses: seeing, smelling, touching, hearing, and tasting. Every aspect of your life can be experienced through these five senses, which gives you an incredible variety of objects to focus on. The easiest way to approach this is to think of things you love or that bring you any pleasure and acknowledge the sensory perception involved (hearing your favourite music, touching a pet or loved one, etc.).

• Engagement follows naturally from sensory perception as it’s about those things that you interact with in the world. An eating disorder can withdraw you from things that bring joy, so try and identify one thing that you’re able to do simply on account of being. This could be talking to someone you care about, reading a book, watching movies, listening to music, creative pursuits, games, politics, religion, or spirituality.

2. ACCEPTANCE

Accept that it is the nature of the human body to change.

One thing we can be certain of, which Buddhist psychology has emphasised for 2,600 years, is that all things will change, including our bodies. Whether through ageing, illness, or injury, your body WILL change and the more you resist this, the more you will suffer.

Body neutrality invites us to let go of our attachment to having the ‘perfect’ body and accept that it changes.

Many of us chase an idealised version of our body, often comparing ourselves to others.  If you have an idea of someone with the perfect body, reflect on the questions below:

-       How long will they look exactly the way they do now?

-       What changes would that person have to experience to their body before it stops being your idea of perfection?

-       How long do you think it will be before they start to experience those changes?

-       What sacrifices are they making in life to achieve that “perfect” body?

Likely, you don’t find the answers satisfying. Ageing, illness, and death are harsh realities of life that need to be confronted and accepted not only to function in the world but to have a realistic relationship with our bodies.

While accepting change is crucial, body neutrality also encourages us to find purpose beyond our physical selves. The third principle of body neutrality explains how we might begin to do this.

3. SELF-TRANSCENDENCE

Find meaning and purpose beyond your body.

Body neutrality involves recognising that your body is the least interesting thing about you. Self-transcendence means rising above and beyond ourselves by focusing on meaningful tasks or the needs of others. It may sound like some ethereal, ultra-spiritual concept but it’s just a fancy term for directing our focus to meaningful things outside of ourselves. This is how we live a life of purpose, and it isn’t in any way limited by how we look. Excessive self-focus on our body is a barrier to living a satisfying life, which is why eating disorders consume the sufferer.

By tying up our sense of meaning in our looks, change will provoke unhappiness. Self-transcendence is an incredibly practical and achievable remedy as life is full of opportunities and experiences through which we can find a sense of meaning, no matter our circumstances.

Steps towards self-transcendence

In His inspiration book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’, Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl described three ways in which we can find meaning:

Creativity – What you give the world through your work, charity, talents, or hobbies.

Experiences – What you experience from the world through relationships, nature, culture, religion, or spirituality.

Attitudes – What values you demonstrate through the attitude you take towards unavoidable pain and difficulties in life.

Conclusion

By embracing function, acceptance, and self-transcendence, you can build a healthier relationship with your body, step by step. Recovery from an eating disorder and/or body image issues is challenging and working with a qualified and experienced therapist is important to help you through the process.

As someone who has recovered from an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, I have experienced the benefits of food freedom, overcoming body image issues, and discovering meaning and purpose in the process. I understand the real difference this approach can make as part of treatment and I know that having the right support is essential for recovery.

If you’re thinking about online therapy to help you in recovery from an eating disorder or body image issues, get in touch to find out how I can help.